After the Dutch Day Incident
by SJK09
Summary: On Hiatus until further notice
1. Chapter 1

_Victor's House, after Sparky was reanimated _

Victor, Elsa, Persephone, and the re-reanimated Sparky ran towards Victor's house for a cup of hot chocolate and leftover cookies. Victor was overjoyed at just the thought of hanging out with Elsa. He had admired her for some time and he found out that Elsa liked him, too. Behind them, Ben and Susan Frankenstein trailed them. Even further behind was a stressed out Mr. Burgermeister.

"Those silly children with those rabid monsters. They have ruined my important day!" Mr. Burgermeister mumbled to himself.

Victor got to the door and noticed that it was wide open.

"That's strange."

"What is?"

"My door is wide open."

Victor brushed off the thought of what happened and went into the kitchen for food. Elsa politely sat down on the kitchen table and petted Persephone and Sparky. Victor set down the cookies and mugs of hot chocolate as his parents came in.

"Mom, did we leave the door open when we went out of the house to search for Sparky? The door was wide open when I got home." Victor asked.

"I guess we did, honey." Susan replied back.

Shortly after the arrival of Ben and Susan, an annoyed Mr. Burgermeister came in through the front door of the Frankenstein household. He grimaced when he looked at Sparky and proceeded to walk towards Elsa.

"Elsa, go home now." Mr. Burgermeister said.

Elsa knew she couldn't convince him to let her stay a little longer so she rolled her eyes and said her byes to the Frankenstein's.

Victor slightly blushed as he watched Elsa slowly walk to her house. _She's so beautiful, _thought Victor.

Victor walked up the stairs into his room. He changed into his pajamas when he had a weird feeling about the attic. With Sparky beside him, Victor walked up stairs, a few steps creaking along the way. He found that his attic had become slightly messier. Victor furrowed his eyebrows and looked around for clues of what came into his attic. His chalkboard calculations had been slightly smudged and a few objects have been moved. He went to the small, suspended metal table and found a few white hairs. Wait no, fur? He then noticed a pen that had Japanese inscription on the floor. _Who was in here?, _thought a confused Victor.

"Victor! Time for bed! You have school tomorrow!" yelled Ben Frankenstein from the living room.

Victor rushed down to his bedroom, jumped into his bed, hugged Sparky, and wondered who was in his attic.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note: Okay so the _ represents Weird Girl's real name. You can choose what her real name is whether it is Cecilia, Marie, Harriet, etc. **_

_Back at the Windmill_

Weird Girl rummaged through the rubble of the once tall windmill. Soot stained her dress, making it look black.

"_! What are you doing!? We were worried sick!"

Weird Girl turned around and found her mother, Luna, and her older sister, Kara.

"I have to find Mr. Whiskers." Weird Girl whispered. Her unblinking eyes stared at her mother and sister who were staring at the ruins of the windmill.

"_, I'm sorry to tell you this but Mr. Whiskers is… Dead…" Luna gave a sad look.

"I know." Weird Girl barely moved her lips. She turned around and kept searching for her deceased companion.

"I think we should help her, you know, to make her feel better," Kara whispered to her mother.

The two family members walked towards the burnt windmill and assisted Weird Girl in finding Mr. Whiskers. They worked for hours until around 1:30 A.M, Kara gasped. She then slowly lifted a long, black creature from the ruins. She then proceeded to give the corpse to Weird Girl. Weird Girl's face was void of emotion, like Nassor's.

The trio slowly walked down to their house and set the corpse on the table.

"We'll give Mr. Whiskers a proper burial tomorrow. Y… You c-c… can miss school tomorrow, t-too." Luna choked out. She didn't want her children to see her in such an emotional state. Luna quickly walked to her room, making sure to shut the door so her children wouldn't hear her cries of grief.

Kara stared at her sister for a long time. She walked up to her and gave her a long hug. Weird Girl made no movement since they got home. Kara withdrew and sighed. She then trudged to her room.

Weird Girl stared at the black creature that used to be her cat. Emotions broke her wall. Weird Girl collapsed on the floor and formed into a ball. Tears escaped her closed eyes and dropped onto her legs.

After awhile, Weird Girl got up. Soot covered her face from rubbing her hands on her saucer-like eyes. Grabbing Mr. Whiskers, she dragged Mr. Whiskers into her room. She laid on the floor, for her bed had a huge hole in it.

The hugged the corpse of Mr. Whiskers. It was icy cold, but it provided all the comfort she needed. The scent of burnt flesh filled her lungs but she didn't seem to notice, for it was the last time she would be able to hold her one and only true friend.


	3. Chapter 3

_Inside a nesting doll coffin at the Dutch Day Fair_

Nassor gave up. No one seemed to notice a boy wrapped in streamers inside a coffin trying to get help. His yells were muffled and the bonds restricted any movement. Nassor screamed out in frustration, which of course sounded suppressed.

"_If it wathn't for Toshiaki's overgrown turtle, I'd be able to feel my legth! When I get out of here I am going to strangle that puny imbethile, if he even hath a neck!" _

Nassor's head crowded with angry thoughts. His dear companion had been squished like a grape and the coffin began to become unbearably humid. It became difficult for Nassor to breath.

"_Think Nassor. Keep your brain active! Thith will not be your demithe! Thurely thomeone hath to find you."_

Nassor tried another attempt to get help. Using all his strength, he was able to make the coffin jump a bit. In that process, Nassor landed on the side and tilted the coffin. The coffin fell onto its right side and Nassor bruised his arm and got a hard hit on the head.

"_Oh my Horuth, can thith day get any worthe?"_

The hit gave him a terrible throbbing in his head. By this time, perspiration made the streamers stick to him. Oxygen was running out of the coffin, and Nassor knew it. Nassor's eyelids began to grow heavy by the second. He tried to fight back the sleepiness but it was no use.

"_Thith day jutht got worthe, because it will now be my lath day."_

Nassor thought for a moment. The thoughts in his brains were muddled and mixed but one remained clear.

"_I can now be truly reunited with my Colothuth."_

For the first time in years, Nassor smiled. His body went limp and his breathing slowed. 

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"There is a boy in here!"

The workers stood amazed as they looked at the boy wrapped in damp streamers in a coffin.

"Get him to a hospital! Quick!"

Two workers hopped into the van. One drove while the other one unwrapped Nassor and massaged him to get the blood flowing through his body.

The van came to an abrupt stop. It took both workers to carry Nassor since he was very tall. He was then hospitalized and his breathing became more apparent. For a moment Nassor gained consciousness. At that moment, he felt a wave of sadness. He had to continue his life of being the tall, scary-looking outcast.


	4. Chapter 4

_At the Dutch Day Fair_

Toshiaki sat in the tulip cart and sighed. Yes, he brought back Shelley, mostly for the science fair. But there was room for his love in the mix of ambition.

The turtle was completely demolished by the electrical shock. The only thing left of Shelley was his sturdy shell.

He remembered the time when he first got his turtle. It was back in Japan. An elderly lady sat there on the street corner with a box of baby turtles. Little Toshiaki was much more kind and less manipulative. He became entranced as he watched the baby turtles crawl over each other for space. One baby turtle empowered the rest, and Toshiaki knew he wanted him. He paid the elderly lady and picked up the turtle. He thought for a moment for a name. Maybe he didn't want a Japanese name. He thought and looked at the shell of the turtle. Toshiaki knew he would name the turtle Shelley.

A few years later, when Toshiaki was halfway through his tenth year in life, his parents decided to move to America for new job opportunities. Toshiaki resented the idea. He wanted to stay where he was, a place familiar to him. They did move, and that place was New Holland, California. During the first month, Toshiaki was bullied for looking different and speaking differently. He absolutely detested the children at his school. Being the only Asian at his school was difficult. He then remembered the time when Shelley crawled on top of the other turtles. He became inspired and stood up for himself. The children no longer bullied him after that.

But then, he kept going. His innocent heart turned into a heart full of manipulation and deceitfulness. Shelley's death made it even worse. After that, Toshiaki's heart hardened to all things. He preyed on the naïve, like Bob, for his own good. He gained the reputation to be feared. Feared.

Toshiaki looked up and found his mother in the distance.

_I am-a going to die-a tonight_

His mother looked like she was about to explode. Her face was scarlet red and you could see the steam coming out of her ears.

((Imagine the dialogue in Japanese))

"You brought back an animal to life! Then that gamera-like beast stomped all over town! Just wait until your father gets back from his business trip!" Toshiaki's mother fumed.

A few workers that were cleaning the mess up gave strange looks to her.

Toshiaki cowered in fear. His mother was scary, but his father was hell itself.

Toshiaki's mother grabbed him by the ear and dragged him out. On the way out, he saw two workers haul a tall boy wrapped in streamers.

"Nassol?"

"Toshiaki, you are not allowed to speak!"

Toshiaki looked up at the star littered sky. He wished he could escape from this situation and be a star. Stars had no expectations, just shine. He looked down at Shelley's shell.

_I guess you ah uh star, Shelley_

Toshiaki smiled.

"Stop smiling! You are not allowed to smile!"


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note: My apologies, this chapter isn't that great. Sorry to Edgar and Bob fans, I couldn't find a longer situation for them. **_

_The "other" side of New Holland_

Edgar looked around nervously. He hasn't walked home this late. His mind was already scared because of the rat creature he created. He fully regretted it and vowed to stay away from rats. He scurried along the cracked sidewalks and found the house he was looking for. Graffiti covered his fence.

"Dad, you awake?" Edgar croaked.

There laid Edgar's father on the couch with a bottle of beer in his right hand. He grunted and cursed as he got up to meet his son. He cared and loved Edgar, yet his deformed figure made him want to disown him.

"Where have you been?" Edgar's father said in his gruff voice.

"I was… A-At school." Edgar squeaked. He wasn't lying, he was at school, at least for the half of it.

"This late? Schools be crazy. Go to sleep." With that, Edgar's father plopped back on the couch and began to snore.

Edgar sighed and went to his closet size room. He lay on the side of his body and pulled the tattered blanket up to his face. He closed his eyes and fell right into the chasm of sleep.

_Bob's House_

"What were you thinking?! You first go on the roof, now bring back sea monkeys?! What has gotten into you?!" Bob's mother fumed.

Bob looked down. His cheeks were tomato red with embarrassment. Little pools of tears formed into his eyes.

"Oh the children these days! Bob, promise me you won't do anything dangerous like this ever again, please!" Bob's mother said.

Bob sheepishly nodded and hobbled back to his room.

_School the next day_

Victor looked around his science classroom. A few desks were empty and the students chatted among themselves of what happened on Dutch Day. Toshiaki, Nassor, and Weird Girl seemed to be missing. A few students barraged Bob with questions. Bob was overwhelmed with the sudden attention. He became red and stumbled over his words. Other students talked about Nassor and his tiny hamster or about the giant turtle. They snickered among themselves of what might've happened to the three kids when they went home.

"Alright, settle down class." Mr. Bark, a math teacher, walked into class. "The gym te-er- I mean your science teacher is… in a traumatic state from the… rat creature."

Several students giggled and Edgar had chills running down his back at the mention of the rat creature.

"We'll be learning about…"

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An hour passed and the bell rang. The children gathered their belongings and walked to their next classes.


	6. Chapter 6

Victor stared at the chalkboard. The green was masked in a layer of white chalk. A few students walked in as the seconds ticked away, getting closer to the bell ringing time. They were still chattering about the Dutch Day incident. Students one by one streamed in and a buzz of excitement filled the room. Apparently some students made bets on what happened when Toshiaki, Nassor, or Weird Girl got home. Others needed the three children for clarifications on what happened at Dutch Day.

The first to come in was Weird Girl. You could see a crowd of children stand up, and then sit down. Her wide eyes stared at them intensely. You could feel an aura of anger from her. She quietly walked to her seat and sat down.

Next came Nassor. He came in with his usual emotion less face. A brave student walked up to him and laughed. Nassor raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you laugh?" Nassor inquired in a slightly annoyed tone.

"I heard you were rolled up like a mummy! I would've loved to see that. And your hamster? He got squished! I never thought a person like you could have feelings!" The boy howled and laughed. A few students joined in. It sounded like a pack of hyenas.

Nassor, infuriated in the inside, kept his emotionless face on the outside. He turned around then stopped. He slightly cricked his neck to the side and turned around to face the boy. The class grew silent. Someone breathed in and held their breath. He grabbed the neck of the laughing boy and Nassor crouched down to the boy's level, where they met eye to eye.

"Yeth, I wath rolled up like mummy. Except my insideth weren't taken out. You thpeak another word about my Colothuth and you will become an organ-leth corpthe." Nassor whispered in his heavy lisp.

The boy, now gasping for air, nodded and he was let go. Nassor slowly walked to his desk and sat there motionless.

The last student came in, which was Toshiaki. He looked the same, except a big slap mark was on his face.

"Pay up, Steve. I win" said a kid in the back.

A grumbling Steve reached into his pocket and handed the kid in the back ten dollars. Toshiaki gave his signature glare at them and they immediately shut up. He sat in his usual place and the bell rang.

Sadly, the annoying gym teacher was back to "teach" science.

She gave a distrustful look to Edgar, the creator of her new phobia; rats. Eyeing the class suspiciously, she handed out papers.

"This is a test. You have until the end of the class!" She said in her loud voice.

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Lunch came and students ran out of their classes. Victor and Elsa chatted on the playground. Edgar sat near the fences and counted rocks. Nassor sat on the far side of the bleachers and ate his lunch in silence. Bob tried talking to Toshiaki but Toshiaki ignored him. The slap from his father still stung and he didn't need a bothersome kid annoying him.

Bob was kept talking, he didn't get the attitude Toshiaki was in. Toshiaki walked away from Bob and sat near the school wall. Nassor, finished with his lunch, walked over to Toshiaki. Toshiaki looked up and found the taller boy staring at him. Toshiaki probably was the only kid in the school that wasn't intimidated by Nassor.

"What you want?" Toshiaki asked in an impatient tone.

"Get up." Nassor said.

Toshiaki still sat and refused to stand up.

"I thaid, get up!"

Toshiaki widened his eyes a little. He has never heard Nassor yell before. His shock was increased when Nassor picked up Toshiaki and pinned his shoulders to the brick school wall.

"You will pay, Toshiaki, you will pay."

Nassor punched Toshiaki's left cheek, the one Toshiaki's father slapped. Pain struck Toshiaki's face as blood streamed out of his mouth. The orange-red brick wall was now covered with pure red blood.

The whole playground was silent. Toshiaki resisted tears and looked at Nassor. He kicked Nassor's stomach, making sure his shoe would bury deep into Nassor's stomach. Nassor let go of Toshiaki and clutched his stomach, making no sound.

"Anata ga machigatta hito o mechamecha, Nassol." Toshiaki smirked as dark red blood dripped from his mouth.

Nassor couldn't believe the strength of the small boy. He looked up, pain showing through his face.

Toshiaki walked away from Nassor. Every eye on the playground was on Toshiaki. Victor then ran up to Toshiaki.

"Uh... Yeah this is bad timing but is this your pen?" Victor took out the pen with Japanese inscription he found in his attic.

Toshiaki took the pen and said something that was inaudible to Victor's ears. He then walked towards the school building and wiped some blood from his mouth.

Nassor felt weak. A hole in Nassor's shirt from Toshiaki's kick revealed a nasty bruise. He looked around and everyone stared at him. Nassor looked at the blood on the wall.

_Oh my horuth, what have I done?_

"Anyone tell about thith fight, you will regret it." Nassor then walked into the school building.


	7. Chapter 7

Toshiaki looked in the mirror. It was him, with blood gushing out of his mouth. Using his index finger, he dabbed at the blood and streaked it all the way up to his ears. Toshiaki looked like he had a Cheshire grin when he smirked, amused at the possibilities his blood could do.

Looking at the clock in the boy's bathroom, Toshiaki quickly washed off the blood on his face. A metallic aftertaste sat in his mouth. The punch from Nassor gave him a blue bruise. Blood stained his grey button-up shirt. Toshiaki thought of a lie to tell his parents. The bruise could be from baseball practice and the blood could be ketchup. He grinned at his witty thinking and walked out.

Nassor hunched over the sink. He saw blood on it.

_Toshiaki must have been here._

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Nassor looked up at the image presented to him. The figure did not look like a child. It was an adult, with blue streaks in his hair. Dark circles clung to his icy eyes. Nassor did not like what he was seeing. He wished he could look normal, like any other kid in New Holland. He wouldn't have to be some loner sitting at the end of the bleachers.

Nassor punched the man that was giving an icy glare at him. Shards of the mirror broke off and cut Nassor's wrist. Not noticing the cut, he continued to look at the cracked image before him.

The bell rang. Nassor walked off to his gym class, with a trail of blood behind him.

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Elsa noticed Edgar walk slowly to the school building. Her heart sunk at the sight of a hunchbacked boy walking all alone.

"Victor wait right here."

Elsa jogged up to Edgar, pigtails flying.

"Edgar, do you want to watch the baseball game tomorrow with me and Victor?"

Edgar's face exploded with excitement and surprise.

"Yes! Yes I would!" Edgar jumped up and down and waved his arms in the air. Elsa slightly giggled at the sight of him.

"We'll meet here tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay!"

Elsa walked back to Victor, who was not impressed.

"Are you sure about this?" Victor asked.

"Victor, yes, I'm sure. For all you know, he might be a good friend."

"Might." Victor mumbled.

Together they walked into the New Holland School Building.


	8. Chapter 8

Time hung onto the air. Weird Girl stared at the tombstone of Mr. Whiskers. It had been a few days since his burial. The smooth marble glistened in the sunset. The scene looked beautiful, strange for a place of death and lost friends.

Weird Girl blinked. The cemetery was pitch black, except a few dim street lamps flickering in the streets. Surprised by how fast time went by, Weird Girl hurriedly walked out of the pet cemetery and went out into the streets. Weird Girl hoped her family wouldn't be worried and looking for her. Just then, she bumped into a black figure. Weird Girl gasped and looked up. In the black coat was Nassor. Nassor also seemed surprised. He then quickly returned to his usual blank face and slightly pushed Weird Girl out of the way. Nassor returned to his quick pace.

Weird Girl turned around and saw Nassor make his way to the pet cemetery. Wanting to see what he would do, Weird Girl followed him, and making sure she was unseen.

Nassor walked up to the tomb of Colossus. He put his hands up to the cold stone, then the side of his face. Nassor closed his eyes and remembered the memories he had with the little hamster, from the time of first interaction with Colossus to his last breath. When Nassor opened his eyes, two saucer-like eyes stared back at his.

"Ah!" Nassor tripped backwards and landed on his back. "Why have you followed me!" Nassor's voice rose in anger and embarrassment. He found himself yelling at everyone, which was unusual for him.

"Why not? Wouldn't you have done the same?" Weird Girl spoke in a firm tone. Nassor sat aghast by the fierceness in her voice.

There they stared at each other, neither one looking away.

"I know how you feel." Weird Girl whispered.

Nassor turned away and felt something wet on his face. He found the source of the liquids; his eyes. He let them fall. His barrier broke down.

Nassor felt a small hand on his shoulder, then slightly squeezing arms around his broad frame. Lightning illuminated the night and rain fell from the dark heavens. After awhile, Nassor stood up, his shoes squished out water. He gave Weird Girl his coat for protection against the rain. Nassor walked away and then stopped.

"Thank you." Nassor said without turning around.

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Victor lay in his bed. He was a little annoyed with Elsa. Why did she have to invite Edgar? In truth, he felt a little threatened. He liked Elsa and the way Elsa talked to Edgar made him feel insecure. Plus, he had Edgar as a science partner. Victor didn't really enjoy being Edgar's partner. Edgar was the one who told his secret to everybody.

Victor slapped himself. Why was he thinking all these thoughts? It was rude, even if this was in his thoughts.

Victor sighed and pulled Sparky closer to him.

_Please let tomorrow be a good day _he thought to himself

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Toshiaki avoided the eyes of his father. He chewed on the last spoonful of rice. He got up to put his bowl in the sink when his father stopped him. Toshiaki slowly looked into the eyes of his father. Surprisingly, the eyes contained sorrow and regret.

"Toshiaki, I'm sorry for what I did to you. I was very angry at you and was stressed out from work. Promise me that you won't do anything like that." Toshiaki's father said in a soft tone.

Toshiaki nodded.

"I'm afraid your mother and I will have to leave town for at least a week. We both have business trips to go to. I'm sorry. We're going to have a babysitter for you. Her name is Kaitlyn Jin. She'll be coming tomorrow."

For Toshiaki, hearing his dad go on a business trip wasn't new. Hearing his both his parents go on a business trip was new. He never had a chaperone and didn't like the idea of having a stranger taking care of him.

Trying to contain his resentment towards the idea, Toshiaki nodded again and resumed to put his bowl in the sink.

_**Author's Note: Kaitlyn (Thorn) Minji Jin is my OC. She'll be appearing here and there in the story. **_


	9. Chapter 9

Edgar impatiently waited for Elsa and Victor. It was the first time someone actually wanted to hang out with him. He started to wonder if they ditched him. Due to his Igor-like appearance, everyone stayed away from him. Edgar's shoulders slumped over and just thought about leaving. Just then he saw Elsa run over to him.

"Hi Edgar. Sorry, I'm late, Victor took a long time to get his stuff." Elsa said as she casually pointed to Victor in the back. Victor gave a curt wave to Edgar.

The trio walked over to the baseball field with awkward silence. Edgar felt nervous since he was the one who let out Victor's secret. It didn't help that Victor had a stone face and didn't talk at all.

They all chose a spot on the bleachers and watched the baseball players get ready.

"Uh… So Victor, how's your day?" Edgar broke the silence.

"The days are same as always." Victor paused, pondering on whether he should continue the conversation or not. "You like baseball, Edgar?" In truth, Victor didn't feel comfortable going to the baseball field. This was the area where Sparky died for the first time. Elsa's wishes made him come here.

"I like it, I think. I just watch it because I have nothing to do." Edgar replied back. He looked down, not wanting to look at their gazes.

"I'm… I'm going to get us drinks. Why don't you guys just talk?" Elsa walked off, leaving the awkward two to look at their feet.

"Edgar, let's just let that Dutch Day incident pass and start a fresh new start. This is getting really awkward for me."

"OKAY!" Edgar had a wide grin that showed that he really wanted to be friends with Victor.

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Bob felt his eyelids droop. He shook his head and tried concentrating on the game. He was on outfield, right side. Almost no balls went near his area. Bob usually watched Nassor and Toshiaki pass the ball back and forth. They made a great team. He got bored of that. He looked to the bleachers and found Elsa, Victor, and E laughing together.

_That's weird. I never see those together_

"BOB! Get the ball!"

Bob looked up and found the ball in the air, hurtling towards a spot ten feet away from him. Panicking, he ran, moving his legs fast as he could. Halfway there, he tripped.

_Thunk!_

Bob looked to his right and found the ball in his hand. A cheer arose from the crowd and his teammates came to congratulate him. He felt appreciated for once. Bob later returned to his spot, feeling happy.

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The last pitch was difficult for Toshiaki. Not because of the batter, but because of what was going to happen after the game.

He narrowed his eyes and looked at Nassor. Nassor nodded. Toshiaki threw the ball and it landed perfectly in Nassor's glove.

For a moment Toshiaki forgot his troubling thoughts and smirked.

"Betta luck next time." He whispered to the batter.

Toshiaki packed his belongings and was about to walk home until a voice startled him.

"Nice pitch, kid."

Toshiaki swiftly turned around to see an Asian girl in her teens wearing monochrome colors.

"You're Toshiaki? I'm sure your parents told you about me." The girl said in a cool voice.

Toshiaki widened his eyes a little. He didn't expect his chaperone to be… Not the happy annoying type.

"Kait-a-lyn Jin?" Toshiaki raised an eyebrow.

"Precisely." Kaitlyn paused for a moment. "Kaitlyn is my name but I go by Thorn. Let's get into my car before it gets late. I highly dislike driving in darkness."

Toshiaki followed Thorn to her car. He wasn't sure what to make of his chaperone. Friendly? Rude? Toshiaki hasn't been this confused since he was trying to learn English.

When they got to Toshiaki's house, Thorn barraged Toshiaki with questions.

"I have a myriad of questions for you, Toshiaki." Thorn said. "Well, after you're done with homework, of course. If you need help, just ask me."

Toshiaki nodded and ran upstairs. His chaperone was quite… Different.

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Weird Girl watched from afar. She watched the baseball game. She wanted to be as far away from human interaction but was curious to see how the game would go.

The game was over and she observed all the people at the game. Bob received a hug from his mother. Elsa and Victor waved a goodbye to Edgar. Toshiaki was talking to a girl she has never seen before. Nassor was sitting in the dugout with shoulders hunched over. Curious as always, she walked up to him.

"Aren't you going home?"

Nassor turned his head to see Weird Girl.

"I'm thinking, leave me in peace." Nassor swiftly gathered his belongings and walked away from Weird Girl.

Weird Girl felt rejected. She only asked a question. She blinked once and walked to her home.

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"I'm new here. Just moved her from Washington. Before that I was in New York. What is New Holland like?" Thorn inquired as she poured the ramen noodles into a bowl.

Toshiaki thought for a moment. "New Holland has modest homes for modest prices?" He was unsure of how Thorn might've reacted.

Thorn stared at Toshiaki for a moment and then laughed. She set down the bowl in front of Toshiaki.

"You're not a bad kid, Toshiaki. Most kids I babysit are annoying and should have tape over their mouths."

Toshiaki looked up with noodles stuffed in his mouth.

_Maybe Thorn isn't that terrible. _

He felt a bit more comfortable with Thorn.

"Did you move here from Japan? You have an accent. Kind of adorable."

Toshiaki felt his cheeks grow red.

"Yes." Toshiaki said before stuffing more noodles into his mouth.

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Nassor closed his eyes. His parents were fighting again. It wasn't abnormal, it happened almost on daily basis.

"That's it! I'm tired of you abusing me! I'm leaving!"

Nassor heard the slam of a door and felt the vibration from it. He sighed and looked out the window. The house directly in front of his had a window that showed a happy family. Everyone was laughing and eating their dinner.

Nassor closed his eyes and tried imagined his family like that. Nope, he couldn't. Ever since he was little, he could remember his parents fighting. It scared him then but now he grew used to it.

"Come over here now!" His father called him.

Nassor hurriedly ran to his father.

"Why don't you do anything productive? What kind of son are you?!" A punch landed on Nassor's nose. Nassor felt something warm and sticky roll down his face.

"Get back up! You worthless boy! Why would Horus Give me you?" Another punch came towards Nassor's face. It was going to be a long night.


	10. Chapter 10

The sky was a glowing red, orange, and yellow with a light spread of cotton candy. Nassor slowly walked, one foot in front of the other. Baseball practice ended and it seemed that his dad wasn't going to pick him up. It was fine with him, a little exercise wouldn't hurt.

Toshiaki silently sat in Thorn's car. He noticed Nassor walking alone.

"Toshiaki, isn't that one of your baseball teammates? We should give him a ride home." Thorn said as she put the car into a slow stop.

Before Toshiaki could argue about giving his enemy a ride home, Thorn rolled down a window and asked Nassor.

"Need a ride?" Thorn asked out of the car.

Nassor's eyes slightly opened in surprise. He never expected anyone to offer a ride.

"I prefer to walk and I am told not to take rides from thrangerth. I decline your offer." Before Nassor could walk another step, Thorn made another attempt.

"Hey, kid. I'm Toshiaki's chaperone. Isn't he your friend? A singe ride can't hurt, even if you're not friends with him." Thorn quickly voiced as she unlocked the doors the car.

The word friend hit Nassor like a brick. He had no friends. Nassor clenched a fist and thought for a moment. If he were to decline, she would keep berating him. In a swift moment, Nassor opened the back door of the vehicle and sat with Toshiaki.

"My house is four blocks down and a block to the right." Nassor murmured as he looked out the window. He intended to avoid eye contact.

About halfway to Nassor's house, Thorn stopped the car. She ordered them to get out. The two boys had bewildered looks on their faces.

The last red glows clung to the sky as Thorn spoke her words, "I can tell when people don't like each other. Starting from tomorrow, I am going to MAKE you friends, got that?"

Toshiaki's eyes went wide and his jaw dropped. Nassor? As a friend? Not in a million years!

"Argue with me, Toshiaki and I'll leave you here to go home by yourself in the dark." Thorn dared as she looked him straight in his eye. "Now get back in."

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Elsa quickly ran out to greet Victor.

"Bye Persephone! I have to go to school." Persephone whimpered at that comment. Elsa did not notice and slammed the door behind her. The two of them walked together to New Holland Elementary School.

Elsa felt a certain lightness in herself ever since she met Victor this morning. It was something more than happiness to see a friend. It was something else. They both proceeded to walk into science class, just in time. Elsa noticed Nassor and Toshiaki were giving each other nasty glares. She wondered if another incident happened between them two.

"ALRIGHT!" The gym teacher hollered as several students covered their ears. "Today we're learning about the life cycle of a frog!"

Several students groaned. Ever since the gym teacher started teaching, they were taught the things that they learned in second grade.

"It first starts out as…" Elsa's ears droned out the obnoxious sound and gazed at Victor. Victor noticed and smiled. He then turned to his notebook, scribbled something, and passed it to Elsa.

Victor: Why are we learning this? Didn't we learn this in second grade?

Elsa: I know! Anyways… Do you want to get ice cream after school?

Victor: Sounds great!

Elsa: Okay let's

"Ms. Van Helsing, are you passing notes?" The gym teacher snatched up the note and read it.

"You can plan your date between Mr. Frankenstein later. Detention for both of you!"

Several students snickered and whispered. Elsa rolled their eyes at them.

"Rolling your eyes at the teacher? You have two days of detention!"

"No! I wasn't-"

"Would you want me to make it to three days?"

Elsa sighed. "No, ma'am."

The gym teacher scanned the classroom for more rule breakers and resumed her lesson on the life cycle of a frog. No one was listening, of course. When the gym teacher turned around to face the class, everyone was off task. She became infuriated. She saw Toshiaki on the verge of falling asleep and chose him as her target.

"Mr. Nakamura!" She bellowed.

"Wha?" Toshiaki jumped in his seat and fell out of his chair. He heard laughter all around, but one particular chuckle made Toshiaki tense up. He faced the chuckler, Nassor. Narrowing his eyes, Toshiaki stood up. He tried to fight the anger and shove it down his throat but it was too much to take.

A punch landed on Nassor's nose.

Note: This sucks but I had to update something. I've been really busy.


	11. Chapter 11

Note: Updated really early because I am going to be busy with this scholarship. Enjoy and review, please!

A red liquid dripped from Nassor's nose. Emotionless as ever, he stood up and faced the short boy. Nassor loomed over Toshiaki, making Toshiaki feel like it was a bad idea to punch the kid two times his height. Yet Toshiaki made himself tense, to prevent any signs of weakness. Nassor made the first move in a blur. He grabbed Toshiaki's neck and pinned him to the wall, knocking over a few chairs and desks along the way.

"I thee you haven't learned from our last encounter." Nassor whispered into Toshiaki's ear. Those words sent shocks throughout Toshiaki's spine. Toshiaki knew that if he made any movements, the grip would grow only tighter. Where in the world was the gym teacher in his time of need?

The gym teacher had her jaw wide open, making no movements to discontinue the fight. Not once in her life has she ever seen any fighting in the small town of New Holland. New Holland was a place for no violence. Recovering from her shock, she stormed towards the two boys.

"What do you think you two boys are doing?! Let go of that boy's neck!"

Nassor reluctantly released Toshiaki from his suffocating grip. Toshiaki fell to the floor and gasped for air.

"Go to the office! NOW!" The gym teacher roughly grabbed each boy's shoulder and rushed them to the office, where she angrily explained the situation to the principal. The principal put them into a room and called the guardians of each child.

"It's a shame, boys. Two of the most academically excelling students getting into a fight? The youth these days!" He clucked disappointingly.

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Besides seeing the smart kids get into a fight, Edgar was having a wonderful day. He was nearly skipping along with Victor and Elsa to the ice cream parlor.

Happiness beamed from his face as he got the cone filled with his favorite ice cream flavor - chocolate. Happily licking the frozen treat, he noticed something strange between his two new friends. Both of them had pink blush dusted onto their cheeks, and they were locked in a loving gaze. Edgar didn't want to interrupt, in fear of losing his new friendship. Slowly he walked away; feeling like someone has cut the line that connected the short-lived friendship he had.

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Bob felt lonely on the bleachers. There was no baseball practice, no Toshiaki, just nobody. His mom wasn't going to pick him up until four. The playground was desolate, not a single soul was there, excluding him.

"How do you do?" A wispy, high-pitch voice shattered the silence. It was Weird Girl, sitting next to Bob. Bob hadn't noticed her and jumped a bit, making the bleachers creak.

"W-Weird Girl? When did you get here?" Bob spoke out to the girl.

"I was here." Weird Girl simply responded.

Bob thought for a moment. He never was mean-spirited but he just found Weird Girl… Weird. Maybe it didn't mean they couldn't be companions.

"So.. Uh… W-What do you usually d-do after s-school?" Bob wavered as he spoke to the girl. Her wide eyes gave an unsettling feeling.

"Just walk around… I used to talk and play with Mr. Whiskers."

Bob felt a pang of sadness. He forgot about how dear Mr. Whiskers was to Weird Girl. Strangely, Weird Girl's face gave no emotion when she uttered her words.

"I-I'm sorry." Bob thought for a moment. "Have you ever played baseball?"

Weird Girl widened her eyes. She always wanted to try a sport. "No… I don't mind trying."

Although the even wider eyes made Bob feel a bit uncomfortable, he gave a big grin and brought out his baseball and glove.

"Let's play! It's a ton of fun."

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Toshiaki turned his head to find the moment he dreaded. Thorn walked into the room and glanced at Nassor's face. She gave a big exasperated sigh and groaned, tightly shutting her eyes and biting her lower lip. When she opened her eyes, her eyebrows arched, symbolizing her angriness.

_Not good, _Toshiaki thought.

Next came Nassor's father. He was dressed in a black business suit. He looked tense and gave a cold gaze at Nassor. Toshiaki could tell where Nassor got his looks from. Then Nassor's father faced Toshiaki, then Thorn. He raised an eyebrow, giving her a scan, judging her.

"Are you… This boy's mother?" Nassor's father said it in a tone of disgust. Maybe Thorn should've worn something else besides jeans and a sweatshirt.

"No, I am not." Thorn replied in a stern voice. She walked over to Toshiaki, making him stand up. She put a hand on his shoulder. "I am his babysitter, aren't I, Toshiaki?"

"Chaperone." Toshiaki grumbled. The grip on Toshiaki's shoulders tightened.

Nassor's father walked out, ordering Nassor to follow him. Nassor walked out the door in the same manner as his father.

Thorn spun Toshiaki around and lowered herself to be in face-to-face view with Toshiaki.

"YOU are in so much trouble."


	12. Chapter 12

_**Author's Note: I BE BACK. I'm finally done with my high school scholarship and I'm waiting for the results. Sorry if people were waiting for an update (doubt it). I had to write seven essays and study for the SATs. Terrible experience but the scores weren't bad for a seventh grader (Many of the high school people were looking at me like why is there a middle school kid here). Now onto the STORY!**_

Thorn paced back and forth. Eyebrows were furrowed and her mouth murmured inaudible curses. Toshiaki's decision endangered her job and even more, endangered Toshiaki's being. He didn't seem like the kid who would get into school fights. It was quite a shock for her. Toshiaki's parents would be back in a few days and she was afraid of the consequences for him.

A thought popped into her head. It was wrong, but it seemed like it was the only choice she had to make. Thorn looked up at Toshiaki.

"Here's what we're going to tell your parents."

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Nassor on the other hand, wasn't fortunate enough to at least have the chance to escape his awaiting punishment. After getting picked up from school, he was told to stay in his room. Nassor hadn't heard a sound downstairs since.

It was late in the evening as Nassor checked his homework, for the thirtieth time. The ominous silence swirled around Nassor's head, silently whispering in his ear to go downstairs. At the point where Nassor thought he was going mad, he got up and carefully opened the door, so it wouldn't creak. He silently went down the stairs, step by step. He peeked into the living room, no one was there. Nassor began to become tenser as he peered into the kitchen. A note was left on a circular, wooden table.

_I will be back. _

Nassor relaxed his muscles. Possibly a few hours more to spend before hell began for him. The note made no specifications for Nassor to stay at home. He grabbed his baseball bat, glove, and ball. He headed out into the streets.

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Bob bounced with excitement. He was going to meet Weird Girl at the baseball field to play a bit of baseball.

"Hey! Over here!" Bob yelled at Weird Girl, who was on the opposite side of the field. Bob tossed the baseball bat to Weird Girl as she came closer.

"Hello, Bob." Weird Girl said.

Immediately, Bob threw the ball at Weird Girl and she hit it. Bob's mouth was wide open as the ball flew over the field, and into the streets.

"Whoa! You should join the baseball team!" Bob bubbled with amazement.

"That was just a lucky hit." Weird Girl said, with her head down.

"You were pretty good at catching the ball yesterday. You should!" Bob put on his best encouraging voice.

"I'll… Think about it." Weird Girl did find baseball fun, but her mom would think otherwise. She looked up to find two figures in the distance. One figure was tall, while the other one was short, with a hump on his back.

Weird Girl and Bob walked closer to see Nassor and Edgar arguing. Nassor's eyes were bloodshot, like he didn't sleep at all. He was scowling at Edgar, who had a mischievous look on his face.

"I know you have my glove. Stop playing your juvenile games and return it, before I cause any pain to you." Nassor growled.

"What do you mean? I don't have it!" Edgar said in a sarcastic tone. It was obvious that Edgar had the glove. It wasn't very wise to say that to a boy two times your size with a baseball bat.

"Hey guys! Why can't we all be friends! Edgar, why don't you give Nassor his glove back." Bob nervously spoke up. He was never person of violence.

Edgar rolled his eyes and tossed the glove back to Nassor. With one last glare to Edgar, Nassor walked away from the trio.

"What are you two guys doing here anyways?" Edgar questioned.

"We're here to play baseball. You can join if you want." Weird Girl said.

Edgar became wide-eyed. "YES!" He put his arms in the air and ran around. He was never asked to play baseball with other kids. So the three children played baseball until evening, when Bob's mom came and nagged at Bob for staying out so late. All three waved each other goodbye and went their separate ways.

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Nassor hadn't realized he was out in the field all through the night until he realized it was the morning. That was when Edgar came and played around with his temper.

He walked into his house. It was eerily quiet.

"Father?" Nassor called out. There was no answer. He looked into the kitchen to find a new note.

_I'll be out for a few days._

Nassor stood there confused. He was in fifth grade and his father expects him to survive alone. But then again, he was much more advanced than his fellow peers. He was just happy he wouldn't have to face the punishment with his fight with Toshiaki. He walked over to the couch and picked up a book to read.


End file.
